Jason Hollands of Bestinvest said: “The fact that there are already some great role models should be a source of encouragement for women considering fund management as a career. It is clearly important for the long-term health of the industry is that it attracts people from the widest pool of talent and potential."

He added: "Among well-established female managers the leading star in our view is Julie Dean. She currently holds the top slot in the large and ultra-competitive UK All Companies Sector with the Cazenove UK Opportunities fund and has recently been named as successor to Richard Buxton on the Schroder UK Growth investment trust."

Although Bestinvest's research was confined to "open-ended" funds – unit trusts and Oeics – the company also highlighted Katie Potts, manager of the Herald investment trust, and Alliance Trust’s Katherine Garrett-Cox as "highly rated and successful investment managers".